How did Cain kill Abel?

Answer 1

The question makes some assumptions that may or may not be true:

1. Cain was only the third person in existence and therefore had never seen physical death.

Not everyone agrees that Adam's family was the only representation of humanity in existence at the time. As such, the knowledge of physical death (introduced by the rebellious act of Cain's parents) and its processes was entirely possible.

2. Assumption: the early humans depicted in Genesis were basically ignorant undeveloped creatures who could not comprehend anything they had not experienced first-hand and could not have developed the killing process on their own.

On the contrary, Adam and his mate (she was not named "Eve" until after the rebellion) were extremely intelligent people with uncorrupted minds, having been made in the image of God and having walked with God. They likely understood death; otherwise, God's admonition to avoid the forbidden fruit "lest they die" would have been meaningless. It does not take a great leap of logic to discern that the application of certain physical abuses could stop body functions.

3. Assumption: Cain had never seen killing.

After their rebellion, Adam and Eve had witnessed the killing process enacted by God himself. God killed animals to cover the now corrupt flesh of Adam and Eve. This animal sacrifice was continued by Adam and passed on to his sons. God's acceptance of Abel's animal sacrifice precipitated Cain's act of murder.

4. Assumption: Cain's killing of his brother is surprising.

The use of the power with which God has imbued mankind is deadly when wielded by corrupt and self-obsessed flesh. It always ultimately results in death; physical death, emotional death, psychological death, relational death, etc. In Cain's corrupted, self-absorbed state of mind, it would have been surprising if he had NOT killed. We see this re-enacted daily in modern society. People are killed in war and murder. Marriages are killed in divorce. Businesses are killed, catastrophically taking the life savings of many with them. Nations self-destruct when the self-interest of their people supersedes their compassion. Communities die when people change their focus from their mission to themselves. God foresaw all of this and warned Adam that death would follow the exaltation of self. The human race has been dying ever since.

Answer:The question is answered by our traditions, which state that, in fact, Cain did not know many of the ways of killing which have been used since then. Rather, he pummeled Hevel (Abel) repeatedly, until Hevel expired.

Answer 2

The Bible doesn't say how Cain killed Abel, only that he did:

Genesis 4:8 says: "After that Cain said to Abel his brother: "Let us go over into the field." So it came about that while they were in the field Cain proceeded to assault Abel his brother and kill him".

Answer 3

It is believed that Cain killed Abe because of jealousy. God favored Able's sacrifice over Cain's sacrifice because Able had a more loving heart and attitude toward God than Cain did. The Bible does not say how Cain killed Able, but it does say his blood soaked the ground implying that Cain struck Able with something causing him to bleed and he died either from bleeding to death or from being hit or cut with something. There is a book that says that Cain killed Able with an animal horn. If you are curious about this then you should read "The Book of Lies" By Brad Meltzer

Answer 4

He cut his throat